Pink smartweed

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Pink smartweed flowers

Pink smartweed

Pink smartweed habit

Pink smartweed habit

Pink smartweed inflorescence

Pink smartweed inflorescence

Pink smartweed

Pink smartweed leaves

Pink smartweed leaves

Pink smartweed

Pink smartweed

Pink smartweed

Pink smartweed flowers

Pink smartweed flowers

Morphology

Stem

Ascending to erect, rarely decumbent, branched, glabrous or appressed- to spreading-pubescent above, usually stipitate-glandular.

Leaves

Mostly cauline, alternate: ocrea brown, cylindric, 1/4 to 4/5 inch, papery, base inflated, margins truncate, eciliate or ciliate with bristles to 1/25 inch, surface glabrous or scabrous proximally, eglandular; petiole 1/25 to 4/5 inch; blade sometimes with dark triangular blotch on upper surface, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 1 to 7 inches long, .2 to 1 inch wide, base tapered to wedge-shaped, margins antrorsely scabrous, tip acute to acuminate, surfaces glabrous or appressed-pubescent along midveins, lower surface glandular-punctate.

Inflorescence

Terminal and axillary, erect, spike-like, uninterrupted, .33 to 2.4 inches long, .4 to .7 inch wide; peduncle .33 to 2.8 inches, glabrous or pubescent, usually stipitate-glandular; ocreolae overlapping, margins eciliate or ciliate with short bristles.

Flower

Pedicels ascending, .06 to .2 inch. Flowers 2-11 per fascicle; perianth pink, glabrous, not glandular-punctate; tepals 5, obovate to elliptic, 1/8 to 1/5 inch, veins prominent, not anchor-shaped; stamens 6-8, included or exserted; styles 2(-3), deciduous, included or exserted.

Fruit

Achenes, dark brown to black, discoid or rarely 3-angled, 1/12 to 1/8 inch, glabrous, 1 side usually with central hump.

Ecology

Habitat

Moist disturbed places, stream and pond margins, prairie ravines, ditches.

Distribution

Statewide

Additional Notes

Synonyms

Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.